General
Q. Who is behind the competition?Demand response
Recycling and reuse
Measurement of water use (such as water foot-printing)
Metering of water use
Information gathering, analysis and processing leading to better water use or lower demand
Reducing or fixing leaks
Reducing water required to grow crops
Prizes
Q. How many prizes are there and what is included?
A. Please see the Competition Terms for details on prizes.
Q. Are there any restrictions on how the prizes can be used?
A. Yes. The cash must be used to pursue the business as described in your business plan. See the Competition Terms for official terms.
Q. The in-kind service providers are not located in the same city as I am. How can I participate in the incubator?
A. Most of the services included in the incubator are virtual. We are also working on partnerships with physical incubators in different geographic regions to provide additional support. For more information on the incubator, click here.
Eligibility and Rules
Q. Am I / is my organization eligible to compete?
A. Click here to visit the Competition Terms for details to determine your eligibility.
Q. Do I have to give anything back to Imagine H2O if I win?
A. No. There are rules in the Competition Terms that govern use of funds, but Imagine H2O does not require any payback or investment.
Q. Are non-profits eligible to participate in the competition?
A. No. Please review the Competition Terms for eligibility guidelines.
Q. Is there a restriction on the amount and type of investment a venture has previously secured?
A. Yes. Please review the Competition Terms for eligibility guidelines.
Q. Is there a restriction on number of years that a venture has been in operation?
A. Yes. Please review the Competition Terms for eligibility guidelines.
Judging Criteria
Q. How is the competition judged?
A. Please refer to the Competition Terms for official judging criteria. A panel of high-profile professionals with expertise in water, entrepreneurship, and investing will evaluate Competition submissions and presentations (the “Selection Committee”). All submissions and presentations will be evaluated by the Selection Committee based on their commercial promise and viability. The judges will look at the following criteria in determining commercial promise and viability:
Market opportunity
Customer value proposition
Go to market progress and strategy
Competition
Financial plan
Team
General quality of the presentation and pitch
Q. Our startup will have tremendous environmental impact but our projected financial results are not as strong. Are we at disadvantage in comparison to other teams that have higher returns in the short-term?
A. Please review the judging criteria in the Competition Terms. In general, your business must be a water efficiency business to be eligible. However, the judging criteria then focuses on the commercial promise and viability of your business.
Q. Our team is addressing an environmental problem that requires more than five years to scale up and to become financially attractive. Do we have a chance to win the competition?
A. Please refer to the judging criteria in the Competition Terms. In general, we are looking for entries that can demonstrate evidence of commercial promise and viability and scale their businesses within a five year time frame. If your business does not meet this time frame, we recommend focusing on how you will show significant increase in value within that time frame, or focus on how you can show scale within a short time frame.
Intellectual Property
Q. How will contestants be assured that their technologies, concepts, and inventions will not be stolen during the contest?
A. We appreciate your concern regarding this matter. Please review the Competition Terms for details on Intellectual Property.
Sponsorship
Q. How can I learn more about becoming a sponsor?
A. Click here for more details on opportunities for sponsorship & donations.
Account and Profiles
Q. How do I create a YouNoodle account?
A. Please visit the How Do I Enter? page for help.
Q. What if I did not receive a confirmation email after submitting my entry?
A. You should receive a confirmation email after submitting your entry. If it does not show up in your Inbox, try checking your Spam/Junk Mail folder. If the email is not there, please contact us at prize@imagineh2o.org.
Q. Who can I contact if I have other problems?
A. If you have any questions about using the Younoodle platform, or any technical issues, please contact Younoodle at heesun@younoodle.com.
If you have additional questions about the competition, please consult the About FAQs, Submission Guidelines, and Competition Terms. If you still require assistance please contact prize@imagineh2o.org.

